OWWA to provide employment aid to distressed OFWs

MANILA — The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) is ready to provide employment assistance to over 100 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were recently repatriated from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

With this, OWWA Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac on Saturday urged the 110 distressed workers to submit their bio data so that OWWA could employ them through the Build, Build, Build program of the Duterte Administration as most of the Filipino migrant workers were in the field of infrastructure.

“We will provide employment facilitation. Our President spearheads the Build, Build, Build program. The DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) and various contractors are looking for supplementary manpower which are fit to your skills,” he said in a statement.

Cacdac said OWWA has package of assistance to the distressed OFWs , which include a PHP20,000 financial aid for their smooth reintegration. They arrived in the country last December 8 from Dammam, KSA.

“These were the directives from Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III. We hope that this can help them cope with the daily expenditures,” Cacdac added.

A total of 88 workers were from Azmeel Company in Al Khobar who were affected by the lockdown of work sites and have failed to receive proper wages and overtime pay.

Another 18 OFWs of Rakan Trading Contracting Company, and 4 employees of Samama Company decided to come home due to contract violations of their Saudi employers.

Aside from the financial aid, the repatriated Filipino workers can also apply for livelihood assistance should they choose to stay in the country for good.

“Our repatriated OFWs also have the opportunity to apply for a livelihood assistance. A seminar will be arranged for them and they will be required to submit their respective business plans. We will teach them how to do it,” Cacdac said.

Likewise, airport assistance were provided to the workers, including temporary shelter for those who await their flights back to their respective provinces, and transportation assistance for those who reside in the Luzon area.

Meanwhile, the OWWA and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) are ready to provide legal assistance to Filipino workers who wish to file complaints against their Arab employers or recruitment agencies. (PNA)